Electrodes are used in a wide variety of clinical settings to provide electrical stimulation to a patient, and/or to detect electrical signals generated by the patient. In some cases, the electrodes may be implanted in the patient to provide electrical stimulation to a target neural area. For example, implanted electrodes have been used to provide electrical stimulation to the patient's brain to treat a variety of diseases and dysfunctions. In such instances, one or more electrodes are placed against or within the dura surrounding the brain, and are activated to direct electrical signals to the cortex or another portion of the brain.
One challenge associated with implanted electrodes has been to provide a flexible yet resilient connection between the electrode and the lead that supplies current to the electrode. For example, the practitioner typically wishes this connection to be flexible enough to withstand the implantation procedure and the patient's post-procedure movements, yet secure enough to maintain electrical continuity over many months or years. If the connection is not flexible enough, it may break after long periods of use. On the other hand, if the connection is not robust enough, it may also fail. Accordingly, there is a need for an electrode/lead connection that is both flexible and secure.